Cloud computing's secret sauce: service oriented architecture

Cloud computing doesn't fall into place by accident, it requires an architecture that is designed for the interchange of loosely coupled services.

Dave Linthicum reminds us that if you want a successful cloud computing implementation, make sure there's a service oriented architectural approach underneath. I like Dave's description of a hodge-podge of cloud services, popping up across the enterprise with no forethought or planning: a "Franken-SOA."

Dave describes what makes up these monsters:

"What's a Franken-SOA? It's a bunch of cloud services that become parts of core applications or processes, mostly on-premise. These services provide core functionality, including storage and compute features, that are used in a composite application or perhaps a composite process. However, they're used without a good architectural structure and become both difficult to change and difficult to manage. In Franken-SOAs, there is no governance, no identity management, no service management, and no service discovery."

Brings back memories of the earlier days of SOA projects, when many were built on a JBOWS architecture (Just a Bunch of Web Services), with no coherency to a common architecture or purpose.

With cloud services, the stakes with this lack of governance and orchestration are even higher, as businesses rush to pull in services for pressing needs.

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